I'm a pastor in Rochester, NY. I'm starting this blog to broaden a conversation about scripture that's happening by email in my congregation. Exciting things happen when people engage with God's living word in everyday life, so let's see what happens here. You can learn more about Laurelton from our website (laureltonchurch.org) or even better, in person.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

new opponents

Good evening friends,We've been reading a lot about why Jewish
leaders opposed Paul's teaching: they thought it was heresy. Today we
see some Roman citizens opposing Paul for a different reason. Luke tells
us their opposition was financial, but when they make their case they
say Paul is advocating Jewish customs that are "unlawful" for Romans to
observe. Interesting indeed. Whatever opposition we may face, Jesus will be with us.

God bless,Sam

Acts
16:16-24

16 One day, as we were going to
the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and
brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. 17While
she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, ‘These men are slaves of the Most
High God, who proclaim to you a
way of salvation.’ 18She kept doing this for many days. But Paul,
very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ‘I order you in the name of
Jesus Christ to come out of her.’ And it came out that very hour.

19 But when her owners saw that
their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged
them into the market-place before the authorities. 20When they had
brought them before the magistrates, they said, ‘These men are disturbing our
city; they are Jews 21and are advocating customs that are not lawful
for us as Romans to adopt or observe.’ 22The crowd joined in
attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and
ordered them to be beaten with rods. 23After they had given them a
severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep
them securely. 24Following these instructions, he put them in the
innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

About Me

I am a Presbyterian minister and a paramedic. I'm the pastor of Laurelton United Presbyterian Church on the edge of Rochester, NY. We've been discussing scripture by email with pretty exciting results and I think it's time to broaden the conversation.